The Des Moines nonprofit offers referrals, family support, interpretation, college resources and free legal clinics for Latino and immigrant communities across Iowa.
By Hola Iowa
Updated September 25, 2026.
The Hola Center of Iowa connects Latino and new immigrant communities with service coordination, family support, interpretation, education resources, cultural programs and free legal consultations throughout Iowa.
The nonprofit is located at 1620 Pleasant Street, Des Moines, IA 50314. Services are available by appointment. The center can be reached at 515-868-2806 or [email protected]. Its current office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.
Hola Center helps families connect with services across Iowa
The Hola Center describes itself as a resource hub for Latino communities in Central Iowa while also connecting people with programs and services across the state.
Its work includes advocacy, information and referrals, workshops, family support, interpretation and translation, education resources and connections with other community organizations. Services are offered in Spanish or English.
The center’s five stated values are connect, belong, educate, empower and unite. Its mission focuses on connecting Latinos in Iowa with resources and opportunities while reducing barriers that can make services difficult to find or navigate.
Family support includes forms, interpretation and school resources
Family support is one of the center’s main service areas.
The Hola Center of Iowa helps people fill out forms, access interpretation and translation, find school and childcare resources and navigate unfamiliar systems.
The center also uses what it calls “soft handoffs” to community resources. Instead of only providing contact information, staff may help connect a person with another organization that can provide the specific service they need.
Free monthly legal clinics cover several types of cases
The Hola Center offers free monthly legal clinics through volunteer attorneys and interpreters. The clinics serve Iowans throughout the state and cover rotating legal topics that can include family law, immigration and landlord-tenant issues.
At the clinics, community members can meet with a volunteer attorney for a free consultation. The center asks participants to come prepared with their questions and a brief description of their case.
The Hola Center does not publish a permanent schedule for future clinics. For upcoming dates and availability, the organization directs people to call 515-868-2806 or check its Facebook page.
Latinos CAN provides college and financial aid resources
The Latino College Access Network, or Latinos CAN, is a statewide program focused on increasing postsecondary educational opportunities for Latino students in Iowa.
Its resources include information about Iowa’s education system, paying for college, resources for undocumented and mixed-immigration-status families and materials for educators. The program also provides guidance related to financial aid, scholarships and grants.
Latinos CAN began in 2018 through the former Iowa Department of Human Rights’ Office of Latino Affairs. In 2024, after the dissolution of that department, the Office of Latino Affairs joined forces with the Hola Center of Iowa to continue the program’s support for Latino students and families.
The center also connects Latino service providers across Iowa
The Hola Center coordinates the Latino Service Providers Coalition, which brings together organizations, professionals, businesses and community members that work with Iowa’s Latino communities.
The coalition currently meets virtually on the first Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. for statewide participants and in person on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at Polk County River Place in Central Iowa. Meeting information is available through [email protected].
Hola Center was created to address language and access barriers
The Hola Center says it was founded by the former Iowa Department of Human Rights’ Office and Commission of Latino Affairs in response to the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate services for Latino communities in Des Moines and across Iowa.
Today, its programs include service coordination, family support, education and culture, Latinos CAN, free legal consultations and the Latino Service Providers Coalition.
Related: How a Venezuelan entrepreneur helps Iowa’s immigrants build businesses and legacies
Hola Center of Iowa address, phone and hours
- Address: 1620 Pleasant Street, Des Moines, IA 50314
- Phone: 515-868-2806
- Email: [email protected]
- Monday-Tuesday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Wednesday-Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Visits: By appointment only
- Languages: Spanish and English
Clinic dates, workshops and other programs can change. Current service information is available through the Hola Center of Iowa or by calling 515-868-2806.
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